One of the biggest changes as winter comes to an end is the rising temperature and the increasing body heat that follows. The transition from winter to spring and spring to summer is one of the most interesting and important one. Spring is said to be the season in which Kapha dosha dominates in our body. As the accumulated snow begins to melt with the rising heat, the accumulated Ama (undigested food) in the body also begins to slowly liquefy. The increased Kapha too that melts, clogs the ‘Srotas’ (micro circulatory channels) in the body. This leads to a lot of Ama-related diseases which are a result of diminished Jatharagni (digestive fire).

Winter is the healthiest season of the year owing to the favorable weather conditions. The cold usually keeps the Pitta dosha in control thus preventing Pitta-related disorders. The Kapha dosha begins to accumulate in the body with the increasing cold without causing too many problems. The aggravated Vata however, causes Vataja Vikara like Joint and Muscular pain, Dry Skin and Arthritis. As spring arrives, all the winter-related disorders come under control and the diseases caused by liquefying Kapha take over. The most common spring problems are allergies, rhinitis, sinusitis, indigestion, asthma, cold and cough.

Spring Allergies

Annually, millions of people fall prey to seasonal allergies or seasonal allergic rhinitis which is most common with the onset of spring. People cannot enjoy spring due to constant sneezing and sniffling. Fortunately, Ayurvedic scriptures already have a mention of the solution to all such problems. It is brilliant, how carefully this science was designed ages back bringing forth the most intricate details that hold relevance even in today’s age.

As per Ayurveda, the duration from mid March to mid May constitutes the Vasant Ritu or Spring season. The body’s natural tendency is to flush out the toxins by liquefying the Kapha. Hence, we must assist in helping the body get rid of the toxins by taking measures that can keep us healthy and happy for a long time. When spring sets in, Ayurveda advises certain lifestyle modifications that can keep the seasonal ailments in check.

1. Honey should become an integral part of our daily routine. It should be consumed early in the morning on an empty stomach as it helps in controlling Kapha dosha.

Picture Credits: www.stevenaitchinson.co.uk.

2. Kick start your mornings by performing Jalaneti with moderately warm, saline water. This clears the nasal passages and sinuses and further prevents accumulation of mucus.

3. Oil massage followed by Udvartan (dry powder massage) with Chandan, Aguru ensures protection of the skin from Kapha-related skin disorders. It also improves the immunity by strengthening the body.

4. Asava, Arishta (Ayurvedic self-generating alcoholic preparations), Sidhu, Mardvik should be consumed on a daily basis in moderate quantity. It’s best to consume them during the Kapha time which is from 6 am to 10 am. People who have a hot constitution should consume them in limits and with caution.

5. Grains that have been stored for a long period of time should be consumed. The older they get, the richer and lighter they are to digest. Intake of Jowar (Hordeum vulgare) and Barley also has been proved to improve immunity.

Picture Credits: www.curiouscuisiniere.com

6. Moderate to heavy exercise is advisable for those with good strength. Exercise helps the body to get rid of excess Kapha dosha and it also eliminates toxins from the skin through sweat.

7. Sipping on warm water occasionally throughout the day is highly recommended as this helps the body digest excess Ama and Kapha.

8. Day sleep is strictly contraindicated as this could lead to an increased Kapha dosha, thus leading to further aggravation of Kapha.

9. Vasant ritu is the season for periodic body cleansing as the body’s natural tendency is to do so. Ayurveda recommends body cleansing during Vasant in the form of Vaman (Emesis) or induced vomiting under expert supervision to eliminate body toxins. The other procedures to be performed are Dhumapana (Herbal Smoking), Gandusha (Oil Pulling) and Nasya (Nasal oil therapy), all under an Ayurvedic practitioner’s guidance.

10. Generous use of spices like dry and fresh ginger, turmeric, garlic, onions that can help digest Ama should be made.

Picture Credits: Shutterstock

With some wise modifications in diet and lifestyle, everyone can dream of living a disease-free spring.

Ayurvedafinder wishes all its readers a “Happy Spring”!

About The Author

Vishakha is an Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga counselor and a passionate traveler. She lays emphasis on living a healthy life by nourishing the body and mind with wholesome and natural food, meditation and yogic techniques. An Indian at heart, she aims at propagating the goodness of the Indian culture across the seven seas and stimulating thoughts by creating a hunger for knowledge.

“The only species that becomes nutritionally deficient is the human species. And we do so because we’ve completely lost touch with the inner wisdom of our bodies.”

Ayurveda has this wonderful way of explaining how we as human beings are unique from every other human being on the planet. This applies to the Prakruti (body constitution), the mental makeup and the eating habits. Eating does not mean feeding your body to sustain it; eating is an art and one must master it. How often do we carefully pick what we eat and concentrate on how our body assimilates it? Hardly ever! And that’s exactly where our problems begin.

Intelligent food is that which is full of “Prana”(life), energy and strength. It has the power to influence your consciousness and thoughts. At the same time, food brings anger, happiness and contentment depending on the way it is cooked and on the vibrations of the person who cooks it. The quality of food literally affects your mind, body and your thoughts. When you are aware of the qualities of foods you eat, you are being a conscious and a wise eater. But with all the chaos going on in our heads, we miss out on these simple pleasures of life.

Picture Source: www.shutterstock.com

How to be a Wise Eater?

1. Love the regional food- Food is life, it is the source of energy and it is an entity that has been wisely created by nature. Foods that are whole, unadulterated and that grow in your own region have the highest nutritive value and are intelligent in nature. Traditionally, Indians used to eat a fair amount of Bajra (Pearl Millet), Jowar (Sorghum) and Ragi (Finger Millet). These foods were packed with health, antioxidants and nutrition. We need to revive our love for traditional foods which is the only way we can save our future generations from hoards of allergies, nutrition deficiencies and other health problems.

Picture Source: www.yogadelmar.com

2. Include all six tastes in your meal- When your body craves unhealthy food, it’s because your body isn’t getting its dose of all the six tastes namely- Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter and Astringent. So it’s important that we include foods that fall under each category. Also, you should always begin your meal with something sweet and then eat the other foods one-by- one in the above mentioned order.

3. Minimize restaurant eating- No matter how much a restaurant claims to use safe ingredients and healthy cooking measures, restaurant food can be far from safe and healthy. Most of the time, we are unaware of the source of the ingredients esp. when the foods are animal-based. The kind of cooking oils used, the nature of the ingredients whether they are freshly bought or have been stored in the freezer for a long time is unknown to us. It’s always a better option to eat freshly cooked home food.

4. Avoid stale foods- Foods that are cooked in the morning can be eaten at night but foods that have been cooked at night shouldn’t be eaten in the morning since they turn stale due to night’s tamasik Also, the nutrients in the food die out. Stale food increases acid secretion that in turn worsens diseases like hyperacidity, digestive disorders and other ama-related disorders.

Picture Source: www.banyanbotanicals.com

5. Eat the five main Sattvik foods in their natural, organic form when possible- Milk, Ghee, Honey, Fruit, Almonds. Milk is revered in Ayurvedic philosophy as a complete food.

6. Avoid eating canned and frozen foods- Every living food is full of Prana when it’s fresh. Food that has been frozen or preserved is devoid of prana. How much prana is present in a particular food is dependent on the length of time it has been frozen. As a rule of thumb, if your food hasn’t seen sunlight in a while, it’s best to reduce your consumption of that food or eliminate it from your diet altogether.

So many of us complain about our lack of energy, increased sluggishness and exhaustion; this is where the energy actually starts to manifest. Feed your body and mind with natural, prana-rich foods that have the power to entirely change the way you think and look at your body. Not only that, start maintaining a routine and sticking to it whole-heartedly. Eating is a sacred act of filling your body with good energy and life. The love, joy and happiness you feel while cooking it will bring the energy back into your life.

So vow to start eating your way to a healthy body and a sound mind!

Vishakha is an Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga counselor and a passionate traveler. She lays emphasis on living a healthy life by nourishing the body and mind with wholesome and natural food, meditation and yogic techniques. An Indian at heart, she aims at propagating the goodness of the Indian culture across the seven seas and stimulating thoughts by creating a hunger for knowledge.

We are in a modern era. Modern technology, modern farming techniques, modern lifestyle, modern everything! How could the food aspect remain untouched then? Human beings are constantly evolving and this evolution has led to an alteration in the food-eating habits. Evolution of human beings also means evolution of everything that revolves around us. The nature of soil, the quality of the produce that grows in there and the characteristic of the end product that is served on our platters is a topic of concern for every food expert who has a traditional and holistic approach.

Fad weight loss schemes, modern eating tips and those 31-day diet plans are based on the erroneous notion that eating an abundance of a specific type of foods can lead to better health. On the contrary, the age-old Science of Ayurveda has quoted about a 5000 years ago that it is only a wholesome diet plan that includes the widest possible range of foods that can lay a strong foundation for a healthy body. The very important aspect that needs to be taken care of before choosing to eat a particular type of food in abundance is the Prakruti (body constitution) of the person consuming it. Every subject is unique; the food habits should thus vary from person-to-person according to the Prakruti.

Picture Courtesy: www.motherearthnews.com

Ayurveda defines wholesome food as the kind of food that balances the seven dhatus (tissues) and the three doshas (humors). The one that causes disarray in any of these is considered unwholesome. This is a very simplistic approach. During ancient times, the different categories of food including their origin were based on the occupation of the people consuming it. Vedic culture was predominately vegetarian in higher levels of society; nevertheless the ruling and warrior classes would generally eat meat. However, Ayurveda also understood the great nutritive value of animals and animal products. Normally, they used milk, butter, and ghee as the main source of animal proteins, but when the situation demanded, they prescribed animal products to quickly build back the strength of a person. The larger focus should be on eating the food that the body really needs, not on eating what merely satisfies the taste buds.

Traditional Indian Thali (Platter); Picture Courtesy: Pinterest

Food rasas(tastes) are classified into six categories by Ayurveda namely, Madhura(Sweet), Amla(Sour), Lavana(Salty), Katu(Pungent), Tikta(Bitter), Kashaya(Astringent). It isn’t just one of the meals that should consist of all the six tastes; every meal that we consume should have a blend of food items that possess the above tastes. Each taste has an intimate relationship with the doshas and the body constitution. Sweet or madhura taste is a builder of tissues that are formed from Prithvi(Earth) and Jala(Water). Hence, sweet substances strengthen Kapha. An overload of sweets, on the other hand, can create a Kapha imbalance, which needs to be corrected with pungent, bitter and astringent tastes and warming foods. Salty, Sour and Pungent tastes in the right quantity strengthen Pitta thus boosting its functions of carrying out the metabolic processes. An excess of these tastes, however, aggravates Pitta and needs balancing out with sweet, cooling foods. Pungent, bitter and astringent tastes in excess increase Vata and other functions related to movement, penetration and cleansing of channels. If you need to pacify Vata, therefore, you need to focus on the sweet, sour and salty tastes and eat more warm foods.

The other important aspects to be kept in mind before you chalk out your diet plan are:

1) Effects of combining 2 different food items ex. Milk and Fruits; Hot and Cold Foods; Curds and Raw foods like Cucumber, Tomato are unhealthy combinations. 2) The places and climatic conditions for consuming a particular type of food. 3) The effects of consuming a particular food in a particular season. 4)Use of artificial flavors, preservatives, chemicals and colors.

Good nutrition according to Caraka Samhita (treatise on Ayurveda) is eating the right kind of food, with the right beverage, at the right time of the day, with the right company, in the right frame of mind and at the right place. The sages during ancient times also inferred that people who eat less quantities of food or the quantity of food that is enough to create energy and nourish all the bodily tissues and organs, lived longer than their counterparts. The method to determine whether you are eating the right quantity is to eat until your first burp; that’s your body’s signal to stop. If you keep eating past this point on a regular basis, you’re reducing your life span by over-burdening your system. The stomach also requires space to perform its functions by mixing the food with digestive secretions. The golden rule is to stop at the first sign of a burp and avoid the heaviness in the body that might follow later.

We’ve also lost track of a lot of important facts that need to be reminded to us time and again. Animal foods undoubtedly contain high quantities of proteins and minerals, but are we sure if we really need the protein? Thanks to the sedentary lifestyle devoid of physical activity and hard work, where is the need of “a lot of protein” arising from?

Picture Courtesy: Shutterstock

Traditional and local foods have long lost their importance too. The traditional food habits have been established over a period of long research and experience by our ancestors and the genetic makeup of our body has been altered by the region wise climatic changes and eating habits. So there are fair chances of a person in the Northern part of a country falling ill quite often, if he consistently follows a diet pattern other than the one followed in his region. Locally grown foods are higher in “Prana” (vital energy present in foods) because they don’t have to be shipped or stored for longer periods and can be bought-tree ripened. It’s also important to chop vegetables and cook them fresh at every meal. Buying pre-chopped vegetables means that you have already lost some prana.

Avoid eating processed, canned, frozen, bottled and fermented food. This kind of food is considered to be “dead” according to the traditional medicine. To add further, it has been heavily treated with chemicals and preservatives and is too old to be healthy.

Picture Courtesy: Shutterstock

Raw foods are heavier to assimilate; Agni Sanskar (cooking/roasting/frying) renders food easy to digest and process. Our kitchen also consists of a variety of spices that again differ region-wise. We must make use of all these traditional spices while cooking our meals as this makes the foods more palatable, digestible and also creates energy.

Vegetarians can get their daily protein requirement from fresh cow/buffalo milk, tofu, paneer, lassi (yoghurt drink) and nuts like dates, almonds, walnuts and cashews provided they are soaked first or cooked with grains to make them more digestible. Vegetarian food is healthier and easier to digest as compared to animal-based foods and hence it is considered superior in many ways. But for non-vegetarians, if they follow all the dietary rules while feasting upon a non-vegetarian meal, they too can lead a healthy life!

Apart from all the dietary rules, it’s essential to be in a healthy atmosphere amidst favorable company while eating your food. The frame of mind that one is in, overpowers all the other factors that have been mentioned above. Restaurant food comes from unknown sources, we are rarely aware of how the food was cooked, who cooked the food and in what frame of mind the whole process occurred. It goes without saying that eating restaurant food frequently does more harm than we can imagine! Also, eat food in a settled atmosphere, avoid using the phone while munching on the food, avoid watching the TV or listening to music as you eat your meal. All these activities lead to sluggish digestion in turn leading to the production of an undigested food product (Ama), which is nothing less than a toxin and damages your body in the long run. Leave your responsibilities at the door — and instead revel in the beautiful colors, tastes, smells and textures of the food. All of this amounts to respecting your food and your digestion, and will help create the kind of light, clear, vital feeling that good food is meant to do.

Ayurvedafinder says, “Eat Wise; Eat Wholesome: Embrace Health”!

About the author

Vishakha is an Ayurveda practitioner, Yoga counselor and a passionate traveler​. She lays emphasis on living a healthy life by nourishing the body and mind with wholesome and natural food, meditation and yogic techniques. An Indian at heart, she aims at propagating the goodness of the Indian culture across the seven seas and stimulating thoughts by creating a hunger for knowledge.